Uganda Cranes embark on CHAN 2020 preparations

By: Kamusime Barnabas.

The Uganda Cranes will officially commence their preparations for the 2020 Championship of African Nations (CHAN) tournament on Monday, 21st December.

This follows the start of the preparations as the players entered residential camp at Cranes Paradise Hotel on Sunday.

With the exception of the KCCA players, the other 28 players will be involved in a theory session on Monday afternoon.

“The KCCA players were excepted from the Uganda Cranes camp to allow them engage in the CAF Confederation Cup. As a country, we support KCCA’s campaign on the continent” Johnathan McKinstry, Uganda Cranes head coach disclosed.

The Vipers and Kyetume players as well as the officials (Charles Livingstone Mbabazi and Fred Kajoba Kisiti) were picked from FUFA Technical Centre on Sunday evening by the Cranes bus after closing match day 5 Uganda Premier League matches.

Vipers beat Busoga United 5-3 and Kyetume pipped BUL 1-0.

                                                 Halid Lwaliwa

Halid Lwaliwa, Aziz Kayondo, Bobosi Byaruhanga, Karim Watambala, Milton Karisa, Ibrahim Orit and Muhammed Shaban are the Vipers’ players on the provisional squad.

Kyetume has defender Musitafa Mujjuzi and goalkeeper Joel Mutakubwa.

Uganda will play in the invitational four nations tournament in Cameroon prior to the CHAN 2020 finals tournament.

The CHAN 2020 was pushed forward to January 2021 because it was not held in January this year.

Uganda is pooled in group C alongside defending champions Morocco, West Africans Togo and CECAFA representatives Rwanda.

The Provisional List:

Goalkeepers: Tom Ikara (Police), Joel Mutakubwa (Kyetume), Nafian Alionzi (URA)

Defenders: Murushid Juuko (Express), Halid Lwaliwa (Vipers), Musitafa Mujjuzi (Kyetume), Patrick Mbowa (URA), Paul Willa (Vipers), Ashraf Mandela (URA), Eric Ssenjobe (Police), Aziz Kayondo (Vipers), Derrick Ndahiro (SC Villa), Muhamood Hassan (Police)

Midfielders: Tonny Mawejje (Police), Shafiq Kagimu (URA), Saidi Kyeyune (URA), Hassan Ssenyonjo (Wakiso Giants), Bobosi Byaruhanga (Vipers), Karim Watambala (Vipers)

Forwards: Mohamed Shaban (Vipers), Milton Karisa (Vipers), Stephen Mukwala (URA), Ivan Bogere (Proline), Ben Ocen (Police), Ibrahim Orit (Vipers), Vianne Ssekajjugo (Wakiso Giants), Joackim Ojera (URA), Joseph Ssemujju (BUL)